Dirty Water Fitness

“Dirty Water” doesn’t sound like the most alluring name for a new business, much less a good come-on for people looking to fulfill their New Year’s resolutions. But to Josh Fox and his fellow entrepreneurs, the appeal was clear.

“We considered many options for a name – some more scientific sounding, some around inclusivity and fitness and so on – before deciding we wanted something that represented not only Cambridge, but Greater Boston,” Fox said. The partners thought about their location near the heart of East Cambridge as well, close to the water’s edge at 247 Cambridge St. “We landed on Dirty Water Fitness,” Fox explained, “named for the one and only Charles River.”

According a 1966 Standells song that’s become a sports anthem, Bostonians just “love that dirty water.” Fox and company hope locals will feel the same about their new enterprise.

Like many small businesses, Dirty Water Fitness was born out of a collective sense of passion. Ask any of the four partners – including Joe Edelman, Sara Ennis and Tanner Larose – what led them to this line of work and the word “passion,” or some variation thereof, is uttered again and again. It’s also what inspired the team to pivot after their pandemic-related layoffs from the Cambridge Athletic Club to create fitness and training options beyond the traditional health club setting.